DACI - who gets to be the approver?

[arama mihai]

Hello,

We like the DACI (https://www.atlassian.com/team-playbook/plays/daci) model and we would like to start using it, but we are having difficulties in identifying the approver.

It can be a different person for each decision, right?

We would like to use this system for the changes done in our JIRA instance ( on workflows used by multiple projects, on fields, rules, etc. ). Who would be appropriate?

Possibilities so far: the product owner, the JIRA expert, the Agile coach, the SAFe Consultant.

Thank you!

[Earl McCutcheon]

Hi Arama,

A DACI is a lightweight play that helps teams involve the right people to make efficient decisions (doing the right thing at the right time). 

The question "Who gets to be the approver" comes down to internal processes that also overlaps your other question of whether this person can change, and Yes, it can be a different person for each decision.  ultimately the DACI is where you choose the noted "A = Approver. The ONE person who makes the decision" on a per DACI basis. 

If your internal processes dictate that all decisions must be made by the CEO then the approver will always be the CEO but when it comes to choosing its going to be the agreed upon person that has the appropriate pull to make the decision for the team on the particular decision point brought up by the Driver of the request.

As your goal is to make decisions on changes done in the Jira instance, and looking at the participants that you have laid out "the product owner, the Jira expert, the Agile coach, the SAFe Consultant" I would guess that the Product Owner would most likely be the best person to be the Approver as this would be the top person in the chain of ownership for the project as a whole, where the Expert, Coach, and Consultant would more than likely fall into either the Driver role defining the suggested change and suspected outcome or the Contributors role helping support the reasoning the change is needed as defined by the driver.

If at any point a decision can be agreed upon that another user can make the change without approval from a higher level it can technically be anyone that has the ability to do so the main driving factor is that all parties can come to the agreement, and if no agreement can be made within a certain grouping go to the next level up in your organizational hierarchy.

Regards,
Earl

[Deleted user]

Great explanation of the DACI responsibilities.

I don't really get why the Product Owner should be top person of ownership for internal processes here. This is actual not my understanding of a cross functional team.

It should be a person overlooking multiple disciplines or groups. This person should have the broader view of things, read through the arguments people have and make the decision based on that. This could definitely different people for different decisions. It's hard to say who's the right person without knowing more about your organization. The thing is: It should be one person and it's not (always) a democratic decision. 

[Earl McCutcheon]

Good Point Sven,

And I totally agree, give the decision it to the person that makes the most sense for the particular scenario.

Regards,
Earl

[arama mihai]

Thank you both for your input. I guess each scenario can indeed raise particularities, so prior to deciding who the approver will be, the impact of that decision will be thoroughly analyzed.